Hummingbird builds nest on hook hanging in noisy Victoria welding shop
Over the decades, Dave Clarke has discovered the occasional unexpected creature at his engineering and welding company – like a rubber duck stuck on the front of a truck, or a plastic poop emoji with protruding peepers – but this was a first.
“It’s right in the middle of the shop,” Dave says, pointing to a chain hanging from the ceiling with a hook at the end.
“On the crane hook.”
Sometime during the night, a bird had started building a nest in the curve of the dangling hook.
“She must have woke up in the morning and gone, ‘Oh my God!'” Dave laughs. “‘What have I done?!’”
Trucks are rumbling. Metal is clanking. Sparks are flying. This is no nurturing nursery.
But the hummingbird was undeterred, and eventually manufactured a pair of products that left the shop’s human welders in awe.
“How the heck did a little bird lay that big of an egg?” Dave laughs. “A couple days later there was another one!”
Once the babies started hatching, thanks to their mother's unrivalled work ethic, they never stopped growing.
“Talk about perseverance,” Dave says as the hummingbird flys over to the nest, lands on the hook, and starts feeding.
“It’s huge.”
While the feathered family has earned the respect of Dave’s crew, his customers were another matter.
“They are just surly kinds of guys,” Dave says. “They look like they would chew nails and spit them out.”
But then Dave brings them around back to meet the birds, and their tough exteriors crumble.
“The compassionate side of them comes out!” Dave smiles.
Their hearts seemed to swell even bigger than the young birds that have almost outgrown their nest.
“Now, they’re to the point where they’re getting ready to fly,” Dave says, as one of the birds stretches its torso out of the nest and flaps its wings furiously.
And when the inevitable happens, the previously unthinkable will occur, Dave will decommission the crane hook
“The hook will come off the chain and be displayed here forever,” Dave smiles.
Unlike the rubber duck and plastic emoji, the empty nest will be a reminder of the full hearts these little birds engineered.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Broadcaster and commentator Rex Murphy dead at 77: National Post
The National Post is reporting that Rex Murphy, the pundit and columnist who hosted a national call-in radio show for decades, has died.
Pearson gold heist suspect arrested after flying into Toronto from India
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.
Millions of cyberattacks per hour as B.C. government investigates multiple breaches
Careful attention to government statements and legislation is required to get a handle on the level of risk British Columbians’ information is under, as investigators probe multiple breaches under a continued barrage of attacks.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Debate on abortion rights erupts on Parliament Hill, Poilievre vows he won't legislate
A Conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre would not legislate on, nor use the notwithstanding clause, on abortion, his office says, as anti-abortion protesters gather on Parliament Hill.
Justin and Hailey Bieber are expecting their first child together
Hailey and Justin Bieber are going to be parents. The couple announced the news on Thursday on Instagram, both sharing a video that showcases Hailey Bieber's growing belly.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
New 'Lord of the Rings' film coming in 2026
The Oscar-winning team behind the nearly US$6 billion blockbuster 'Lord of the Rings' and 'The Hobbit' trilogies is reuniting to produce two new films.